Mechanism for releasing articles of vending machines



' E. QJQHNSQN 2,951,616 MECHANISM FOR REILEASING ARTICLES OF VENDING MACHINES Original Filed Jan. 2. 1952 l isi/tron nnLaAsiNn ARTICLES oF vENnrNG MAC n Elmer C. Johnson, Kansas tlty, Mo., assignor to The Vendo Company, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of V llt/timpani This invention relates to the iield of vending merchanv dise particularly through use of automatic machines of the type' capable of dispensing the articles singly upon insertion of a coin. Y,

Vi-f More specifically, the present invention relates to improvements in vending machines of theV staggered stack type such as disclosed in US. Letters Patent No. 2,369,882 dated February 20, 1945, and my Patents Nos. 2,585,011 and'.2,585,012, both dated February 12, 1952.

In vending machines of the kind disclosed in the aforesaid patent and in my co-pe'nding applications, it is possible to surreptitiously reach into the cabinet of the machine through the article-discharge opening thereof, manipulate the articles of the stacks and to remove an article without the necessity of inserting a coin as is contemplated by the normal operation of the machine.

AIt is therefore, one of the most importantfobjects of the present invention to providemeans in staggered stack vending machines for preventing malicious robbing and removal of the 'contents thereof in absence of insertion of a coin in the proper manner.

Another important object of this invention is to provide in avending machine, structure underlying the stacks of articles and movable to release one article at a ltime as in the above mentioned patent and co-pending applications,

together with apparatus operating in conjunction there- With to receive the released article and holding the same against discharge to the customer until the next cycle of operation, thereby presenting a block to access and thereby manipulation of the stacks themselves Vfor the purpose of stealing the contents by those who may be so inclined.

' It is a further important object of this invention to provide vending mechanism for articles of merchandise arranged in a pair of staggered stacks that includes a device having a pair of parallel members, the device being swingable tothe end that the two members alternately discharge or release the articles lwhich they support.

Another object of the instant invention is tovprovide improved actuating means which contemplates restraining of the primary article-'supporting roller to a rectilinear path of reciprocation as in the prior inventions above identilied, the anti-theft means in each case being swingable along an arcuate path of travel in timed relationship t the reciprocable movement lof the said primary roller.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a form of actuation which includes swinging of the anti-theft means as a function of the reciprocation of the 4primary roller.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a fragmentary, front elevational view of article-dispensing apparatus such as forms the subject matter of my said patents having improved article-releasing mechanism embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional View taken on line II-II of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line III-III of Fig. 2.

This is a division of my co-pending application Serial 'ice No. 264,405 tiled January 2, 1952, now US. Letters Patent No. 2,762,524 issued September 11, 1956.

As will hereinafter appear, the articles to be dispensed are stored within a suitable cabinet in pairs of stacks, the articles of one stack being olset or staggered with respect to lits corresponding adjacent stack. The invention contemplates additionally the provision of a primary roller underlying the staggered stacks and confined to rectilinear, horizontal .reciprocation When the `primary roller is beneath oneof the stacks, the lowermost article of the latter rests upon the roller and thus both stacks are restrained against downward movement.'

The means for guiding and reciprocating the primary roller-shown in Figs. 1 andY 3 inclusive, is identical with that forming the subject matter of my 'said Patent No. 2,585,012. l Y p i A suitable cabinet broadly designated by the numeral 14 is shown only in part in Fig. 1 of the drawing and includes one or more vertical compartments 16 capable of supporting and guiding a pairy of staggered stacks 18 and 20 of vendable merchandise which, for purposes of illustration, comprise elongated, cylindrical articles 22.

It'is appreciated. that supporting the lolwermost article 22a of stack 20, serves to restrain gravitational movement ly, slidable therewithin for rectilinear reciprocation.

Blocks 32 and 34 are mounted on opposite ends of the shaft 26 and upon horizontal, parallel compound screws 36 and 38 respectively. Screws 36 and 38 are rotated and a coupling chain or the like 42. Thus, when roller 24 is moved to the left from the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and the full line position shown in Fig. 3 to the dotted line position of Fig. 3, article 22a will gravitate as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. Article 22a will not however, be dispensed from the machine by such movement of the roller 24 because of the provision of apparatus to receive the same and operating as an antitheft means `as above indicated. Such apparatus includes an elongated, horizontal rod 44 that moves into the path of travel of the article 22a 'as indicated by dot-ted lines in Fig. 3. The rod 44 is joined to the lowermost ends of a Y pair of arms'46 and 48 swingably joined to and depending 60 respectively immediately above the openings 54 and 56 thereof that pass through corresponding slots in the arms 46 and'48, slot 62 inarm 48 being illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Fig. 1 illustrates by dottedlines an article 2lb resting on the rod 44 and previously discharged from the stack 18. Accordingly, when prime mover 40 is energized by insertion of a suitable coin in the machine and through the medium of coin control mechanism- (not shown) to move the roller 24 from the full line position of Fig. 3 to the dotted line position of this ligure as above indicated, arms 46 and 48 will swing on their pivot pins 58 and 60 respectively to move the rod 44 from beneath the article 22b to the opposite end of the openings 54 and 56 as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3. Thus, as article 22a is released by the roller 24 and gravitates tothe dotted line position shown inFig. 3, the article anemie will likewise be released by the rod and moved to its dotted line position of Fig. 3 in the direction of the arrow, While article 2lb falls upon a guide 64 and thence to a discharge opening (not shown) for the cabinet 14 disposed for access by the customer, the extent of gravi 'tation'of article 22a is limited by the rod 44. During this cycle of operation, article 22C of stack 18, gravitates to the position shown by dotted lines in' Pig. 3 resting upon reiter t it can now 'well be' appreciated that during the next cycie of operation, roller 24 wiil be returned to the full 'tine position shown in Fig'. 3, the article 22a will be diste die guide tid, article ,title will gravitate until ained by rod 44, and article 22d of stack Ztl will move into engagement with roller 24.

The important feature of this invention, namely, that of providing an anti-theft means,kcan now be well understood, A thief reaching into the machine through the outlet opening of cabinet 14 and attempting to manipulate the articles 22 within chamber 16is hampered against removalof an article 22 by virtue of an article such as 22h being-in a blocking position. In other words, even if stack 18 could be reached to move the same upwardly and thus cause article 22a to roll downwardly on roller 24', neitherthe article 22a nor lthe article 2lb could be removed because of the presence of rod 44.'j However, article 221; must be moved upwardly before stacks 18 and 20 can be shifted and vsuch action cannot aid inthe stealing of articles for the reason that rod 44 cannot be moved out of the way until the screws 36 and 38 are rotated.

Having thus described the inventiomwhat is :claimed as l:new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a. vending machine, a frame including means for l supporting and guiding apair of upright stacks of articles in laterally overlapping relationship; movable `structure underlying the articles and supportingly engageable with the lowermost article of either stack vto restrain said low-4 ermost article and all higher articles of both stacks against downward movement; drive means for shifting said structurc; pivotal coupling means operably coupled with said member intermediate the upper and lower'extrernities of the latter and shiftab'lyrnounting the member on the frame; and apparatus mounted .on and carried 'by said member adjacent the lower extremity of the latter for 'movement therewith in' a'. lateral direction .opposite to said'structure, said apparatus extending below said stacks for supportingly engaging articles as same are released singly from said stacks upon movement of said structure, said apparatus being moved to release an article previously engaged thereby upon each shifting of said structure from one to the other of said positions.

'2. In a vending machine as set forth in claim l, wherein said coupling means comprises parts including an elongated slot and a pin of circular section extending therethrough, one of said parts being on the frame and the other of said parts being on the member.

3. In a vending machine as set forth in claim 2, wherein said'drive means includes a rotatable, compound screw, and a follower block on the screwl and pivotally connected with said member adjacent the upper extremity of the latter.

4. In a vending machine as set forth in claim 3, wherein said structure includes a rotatable, horizontally extending, article engaging roller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,649,365 Poling et al'. Nov. 15, 1927 1,711,021 Hoopes Apr; 30, 1929 2,369,882 Brock Feb. 20, 1945 2,585,011 Johnson Feb. l2, 1952 2,585,012v Johnson Feb. l2, 1952 2,615,773 Holt et al. Oct. 28, 1952 2,762,524 Johnson Sept. 11, 1956 

